Latch actuating door handle assembly



April 2 1957 G. v. JAKEWAY LATCH ACTUATING DOOR HANDLE 'ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. l29, 1955 yINVENTOR. f/a/a/ K e/IeJ//a LATCH ACTUATING DOOR HANDLE ASSEMBLY Gerald V. Jakeway, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to Keeler Brass Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application August 29, 1955, Serial No. 531,053

8 Claims. (Cl. 292-336.3)

This invention relates to latch actuating door handle assemblies Well adapted for use on motor vehicle doors, refrigerator Idoors and the like.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a latch actuating door handle assembly which may be mounted on a door as an assembled unit and adjusted to compensate for variations in door thickness, latch mounting and the like.

Second, to provide a latch actuating door handle assembly having these advantages in which the adjustment may be easily made after the assembly has been installed on a door.

Third, to provide a latch actuating door handle assembly having the above stated advantages which is relatively simple and economical in structure and in which the adjustments may be elfected without likelihood of breaking any of the parts of the handle.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from Ithe description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a handle embodying my invention installed upon a door, a fragment of which is conventionally illustrated.

Fig. 2 is a View partially in side elevation and partially in longitudinal section on a line corresponding to line 2 2 of Fig. l. This figure also illustrates by dotted lines one manner of adjusting the latch actuating nosepiece.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in section on a line corresponding to line 3 3 of Fig. 2. j

Fig. 4 is a top View of the combined pivot and latch engaging member partially in section on a line corresponding to line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

"` Fig. 5 is la fragmentary view illustrating structural details of the combined pivot and latch engaging member and the adjustment of the latch engaging nosepiece thereof which is shown in dotted lines in its original position and in full lines in its adjusted position.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating the adjustment of the latch engaging nosepiece and a tool for effecting such adjustment.

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of one form of adjusting tool suitable for the purpose.

In the accompanying drawing 1 represents the outer wall of a door, on the inner side of which a reinforcing plate 2 is secured. The outer wall and reinforcing plate have registering openings 4 and 5 therein adapted to receive portions of the handle assembly. The reinforcing plate 2 is xedly secured to the wall of the door as by means of spot welds indicated at 6. The numeral 7 represents a latch lock assembly having a latch actuating member 8.

The stirrup-like supporting bracket 9 in the embodiment illustrated has an escutcheon 10 assembled therewith as a unit and is provided with threaded mounting nited States Patent Patented Apr. 2, 1957 studs 11 disposed through holes provided therefor in the wall 1 and the reinforcing plate 2 to receive the nuts 12.

The handle designated generally by the numeral 13 is in the embodiment illustrated formed as a sheet metal stamping and is provided with a cover 14, the grip portion of the handle being provided with an inner wall 15. The handle has an inwardly facing chamber 16 partially defined by the substantially parallel side walls 17.

The combined handle pivot and latch engaging member designated generally by the numeral 18 is formed integrally of bendable sheet metal and comprises side pieces 19 which are disposed on the inner sides of the side walls of the handle chamber and lixedly secured thereto as by the spot welds indicated at `20. This member 18 projects into the bracket which is generally of stirrup shape and is provided with a pivot 21 for the member 18. The side pieces 19 of the member 18 have inturned flanges 22 at their forward edges, and the flanges have tongue-like extensions 23 disposed in side by side relation and xedly secured together as by the welds 24 to constitute a latch engaging nosepiece coacting with the actuating element 8 of the latch. The member 18y is provided with a stop 25 which engages the bottom of the bracket to limit the opening movement of the handle.

The coil spring 26 is arranged about the pivot 21 and has an arm 27 at one end thereof engaging the portion 28 of the member 18, the arm 29 at the other end of the spring engaging the bracket as is shown in Fig. 2 and the spring acting to return the handle to normal position.

The flanges 22 are bendable so that the nosepiece can be adjusted to compensate for manufacturing variations quite commonly incident to manufacture, sometimes in the thickness of the door and other times due to the varia-tions in the latch mounting. The nosepiece, through the bendable connecting flanges to the member 18, may be adjusted to compensate for these varying door thicknesses and provide proper stroke so that the latch will be effectively operated. To facilitate such adjustment in the embodiment illustrated, the nosepiece is provided with oppositely facing tool receiving notches 30 adjacent its juncture with the adjustable anges. The tool 31 is recessed at 32 to receive the nosepiece and has lugs 33 engageable with the notches as is illustrated in Fig. 6.

After the handle has been installed the installer may test the operation of the handle in association with the latch and adjust the nosepiece as may be required. Where the manufacturer has found that there is a run of doors of ysubstantially the same thickness but varying from what might be called standard -the nosepiece can be adjusted for such doors before the latch is installed. Another method of adjusting the nosepiece, after the latch is installed, is for the operator with the latch in unlocked position to subject the handle to extra force or more force than would ordinarily be used to operate the lock and thereby adjust or bend Ithe nosepiece as far as it will go or until the stop 25 engages the bracket.

The member 1S is formed of bendable sheet metal which Will take a set, that is, which does not spring back when the nosepiece is adjusted -to proper position on the member 18.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a highly practical embodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate other adaptations or embodiments as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire -to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A latch actuating door handle assembly comprising a supporting bracket adapted to be mounted on a door, a handle having an inwardly opening chamber at its inner end defined in part by spaced side walls, and a combined pivot and latch engaging member formed integrally of bendable sheet stock and comprising side pieces disposed within the said side walls of the handle chamber and xedly secured thereto to project inwardly therefrom, said member being pivotally mounted on said bracket, said side piecesof said-memberlhavingfinwardly:projecting bendable llanges on their front edges, said flanges having tongue-like projections kextending from their -inner edges disposed and lixedly connected in side by side relation and constituting a latch `engaging nosepiece, said nosepiece having notches adjacent the juncture thereof with said langes with which a tool may be engaged for bending said flanges and thereby positioning the nosepiece relative to the handle.

2. A latch actuating door handle assembly comprising a supporting bracket adapted to be mounted on a door, a handle having an inwardly opening chamber at its inner end defined in part lby spaced Vside walls, and a combined pivot and latch .engaging member formed integrally of bendable sheet stock and comprising side -picces disposed within the said side walls of the handle chamber and tixedly secured thereto to project inwardly therefrom, said member being pivotally mounted von said bracket, said side pieces of said member having inwardly projecting hendable flanges on their front edges, said flanges having tongue-like projections extending from their inner edges disposed and fixedly connected in side by side relation and constituting a latch engaging nosepiece,

3. A latch actuating door handle assembly comprising a supporting bracket adapted to be mounted on a door, a handle having an inwardly opening chamber at its inner end defined in Vpart by spaced side walls, a combined pivot and latch engaging member formed integrally of bendable sheet stock and comprising side pieces disposed within the said side Walls of the handle chamber and fixedly secured thereto to project inwardly therefrom, said member being pivotally mounted on said bracket, said side pieces of said member having inwardly projecting bendable flanges n their front edges, said flanges having tongue-like projections extending from their inner edges disposed and iixedly connected in side by side relation and constituting a latch engaging nosepiece, said member .and bracket having coacting stops limiting the latch actuating vstroke of the handle, and a return spring for said handle.

4. A latch actuating door handle assembly comprising a supporting bracket adapted to be mounted on a door, and a handle pivotally mounted on said bracket and 4provided with a latch engaging member fixedly mounted on the handle and `comprising side pieces, said side .pieces having inwardly projecting bendable flanges, said flanges having tongue-like projections extending from their inner edges disposed and fixedly connected in side by side relation and constituting a latch engaging nosepiece.

disposed and fixedly connected in side by side relation and constituting a latch engaging nosepiece, and coacting stops on said bracket and handle limiting the latch actuating stroke of the handle.

6. A latch actuating door handle assembly comprising a supporting bracket adapted to be mounted lon a door,

and a handle pivotally mounted on said bracket and provided with a latch engaging member fixedly mounted on the handle and comprising side pieces, said side pieces having inwardly projecting bendable flanges, said flanges having tongue-like projections extending from their inner edges disposed and fixedly connected in side by side relation and constituting a latch engaging nosepiece.

7. A latch actuating door handle assembly comprising a supporting bracket adapted to be mounted on a door, a handle, and a combined pivot and latch engaging member formed integrally of bendable sheet stock and flxedly secured to said handle to project inwardly therefrom, said member being pivotally mounted on said bracket, said member having a transversely disposed bendable flange, said flange having a tongue-like projection extending from its inner edge constituting a latch engaging nosepiece, said nosepiece supporting flange being bendable for positioning the nosepiece relative to the latch to be engaged thereby, said member and bracket having coacting stops limiting the latch actuating stroke of the handle.

8. A latch actuating door handle assembly comprising a supporting bracket adapted to be mounted on a door, a handle, and a combined pivot and latch engaging member formed integrally of bendable sheet stock and iixcdly secured to said handle to project inwardly therefrom, said member being pivotally mounted on said bracket, said member having a transversely disposed bendable flange, said flange having a tongue-like projection extending from its inner edge constituting a latch engaging nosepiece, said nosepiece supporting flange being bendable for positioning the nosepiece relative to the latch to be engaged thereby.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

